Dɔwɔwɔwo 25
1 Esi Festus dze eƒe dɔ gɔme le Kaesarea ƒe ŋkeke etɔ̃a gbe tututu la, eɖi tsa yi Yerusalem.
WHEN Festus then was come into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 Nunɔlagãwo kple Yudatɔwo ƒe dumegãwo wɔ mɔnukpɔkpɔ sia ŋuti dɔ heka Paulo ƒe nya la ta nɛ.
And the high-priest and the principal persons among the Jews informed him against Paul, and entreated him,
3 Wodze agbagba bia amenuveve tso Festus gbɔ be wòaɖo Paulo ɖe Yerusalem enumake kple susu be, yewoabe ɖe mɔa dzi awui.
begging it as a favour from him, that he would send him back to Jerusalem, lying in wait for him to kill him on the road.
4 Festus ɖo eŋu be, “Esi Paulo le gaxɔ me le Kaesarea, eye nye hã mele afi ma yi ge kpuie la,
Then Festus answered, that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going thither shortly.
5 mina miaƒe kplɔla aɖewo nadze yonyeme aɖatsɔ nya ɖe ŋutsu la ŋu le afi ma nenye be eda vo aɖe.”
Let therefore, said he, those among you who are able, go down with me, and accuse him, if there be anything criminal in this man.
6 Le ŋkeke enyi alo ewo megbe la, Festus trɔ yi Kaesarea, eye le ŋkeke evea gbe tututu la, eyɔ Paulo ƒe nya la le ʋɔnu.
And after staying with them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow seated on the bench, commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Esi Paulo va ɖo ʋɔnua ko la, Yudatɔ siwo tso Yerusalem va la le tsitre ƒo xlãe, eye wotsɔ nutsotso vevi geɖewo vɛ ɖe Paul ŋu, esiwo ŋu womete ŋu fia kpɔɖeŋu aɖeke le o.
And on his appearing, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and laid many and heavy accusations against Paul, which they were not able to prove.
8 Ke Paulo ɖo eŋu na wo be, “Nyemedze agɔ le ame aɖeke dzi o. Nyemeda Yudatɔwo ƒe se aɖeke dzi o, eye nyemedo vlo gbedoxɔ la hã o. Gawu la, nyemetsi tsitre ɖe Roma dziɖuɖu alo Kaisaro ŋu o.”
But he pleaded in his defence, That neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed the least offence.
9 Ke Festus di vevie be yeave Yudatɔwo nu, eya ta ebia Paulo be, “Èlɔ̃ be yeayi Yerusalem be madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu ye le afi ma?”
Then Festus, desirous of ingratiating himself with the Jews, replying to Paul, said, Wilt thou go up unto Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Paulo ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Kaisaro ƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃zikpui la ŋgɔe nye esi mele tsitre ɖo, afi si wòle be wòadrɔ̃ ʋɔnum le sea nu le. Nyemewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke Yudatɔwo o, abe ale si wò ŋutɔ nènya nyuie ene.
Then said Paul, I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar, where I have a right to be judged: against the Jews I have committed no offence, as thou also clearly perceivest.
11 Ne mewɔ nane si dze na ku la, nyemele ku vɔ̃m o. Ke ne vodada aɖeke mele ŋunye o la, medze be wò alo ame bubu aɖeke nakɔm ade asi na ame siawo be woawum o. Metsɔ nye nya de asi na Fia Kaisaro ŋutɔ!”
For indeed if I have committed any crime, or done aught worthy of death, I object not to be put to death: but if there is nothing in those things whereof they accuse me, no man dare gratify them by abandoning me to them.
12 Nya sia na be Festus trɔ ɖe eŋumewo ŋu eye wodo dalĩ vie. Emegbe la, etrɔ ɖe Paulo gbɔ, gblɔ nɛ be, “Enyo; Paulo, esi nètsɔ wò nya de asi na Kaisaro ta la, míaɖo wo ɖe Kaisaro gbɔ.”
I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, after conferring with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed to Caesar? to Caesar shalt thou go.
13 Le ŋkeke ʋɛ aɖewo megbe la, Fia Agripa kple nɔvia nyɔnu, Benis ɖi tsa va Festus gbɔ le Kaesarea be yewoakpɔe ɖa.
Now when some days were passed, Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 Le woƒe afi ma nɔnɔ me la, Festus gblɔ Paulo ƒe nya na fia la be, “Felix gblẽ ame aɖe ɖe gaxɔ me le afi sia hafi meva xɔ eteƒe.
And as their stay there was extended to a considerable time, Festus communicated to the king Paul’s affairs, saying, There is a certain man left by Felix, a prisoner:
15 Eye esi meɖi tsa de Yerusalem la, nunɔlagãwo kple Yudatɔwo ƒe tatɔwo va gbɔnye hewɔ nutsotso geɖe ɖe ame sia ŋu, eye wobia tso asinye be matso kufia nɛ.
against whom when I was at Jerusalem, the high-priest and the elders of the Jews appeared, desiring judgment against him.
16 Ke abe ale si wò ŋutɔ nènyae ene la, megblɔ na wo be míaƒe Roma se la meɖe mɔ be woabu fɔ ame ʋɔnumadrɔmadrɔ̃e o, ke boŋ ele be woana mɔe be wòaɖe eɖokui nu le ame siwo tsɔ nya ɖe eŋu la ŋkume.
To whom I replied, That it was not customary for Romans to give up any man gratuitously to destruction, before that the person accused should have his accusers produced face to face, and be allowed opportunity to defend himself against the charge.
17 “Esi Yudatɔwo tso Yerusalem va afi sia la, meyɔ ʋɔnua, eye mena wokplɔ Paulo va ʋɔnuae.
When therefore they were come here together, making no demur, the very next day I sat on the tribunal, and commanded the man to be brought.
18 Esi enutsolawo tsi tsitre be woaƒo nu la, wometsɔ nya sesẽ aɖeke ɖe eŋu, abe ale si mebui ene o,
Against whom his accusers standing forth, brought no charge of such things as I expected:
19 ke boŋ nyaʋiʋli aɖewo tso woƒe subɔsubɔ kple ame aɖe si woyɔna be Yesu, ame si ku, gake Paulo ya gale gbɔgblɔm be ele agbe kokoko la ŋu.
but only pleaded against him certain disputes about their own mode of religious worship, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 Esi mese woƒe nyawo la, metɔtɔ ŋutɔ, elabena nyemenya ale si madrɔ̃ nya sia ƒomevie o. Mebia Paulo be alɔ̃ be woadrɔ̃ nya sia le Yerusalem hã?
But being in doubt respecting a question of this sort, I demanded if he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.
21 Gake Paulo gbe gblɔ be yedi be Kaisaro gã la ŋutɔ nadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu ye. Le esia ta la, megana be woagbugbɔe ayi gaxɔ me va se ɖe esime mate ŋu aɖoe ɖe Kaisaro gbɔ.”
But Paul appealing that he should be reserved for the cognizance of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I should send him to Caesar.
22 Agripa gblɔ na Festus be, “Nye ŋutɔ medi be mabia gbe Paulo ase eƒe numegbe.” Festus do ŋugbe nɛ be, “Etsɔ àse eƒe numegbe.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, I wish also myself to hear the man. He said, To-morrow thou shalt hear him.
23 Le ŋkeke evea gbe tututu la, Agripa kple Benis va do ɖe ʋɔnudrɔ̃ƒe la le bubu kple atsyɔ̃ɖoɖo gã me. Asrafowo kple dumegãwo hã nɔ wo ŋu. Esi woɖi anyi vɔ la, Festus na wokplɔ Paulo va wo ŋkumee.
On the morrow therefore, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with a very splendid retinue, and were entered into the place of audience, with the military tribunes, and the men of superior eminence in the city, then at the order of Festus Paul was produced.
24 Festus ƒo nu na ƒuƒoƒe la be, “Fia Agripa kple ame siwo katã ƒo ƒu ɖe afi sia, ame si le mia dome lae nye ame si Yudatɔ siwo le du sia me kple Yerusalem siaa la di be woatso kufia na.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all you, sirs, who are present with us, behold the man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews have set upon me, both at Jerusalem and in this place, clamouring that he ought not to live a moment longer.
25 Ke le nye nukpɔkpɔ nu la, mewɔ naneke si dze na ku o. Ke esi eya ŋutɔ bia be Kaisaro ŋutɔ nadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu ye ta la, wɔna aɖeke megale ŋunye wu be maɖoe ɖe Kaisaro gbɔ le Roma o.
But finding on inquiry that he had done nothing worthy of death, and he himself indeed having appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 Gake hã la, nyemenya nya ka tututu maŋlɔ ɖo ɖe Fiagã la abe nutsotso le eŋu ene o, elabena wometsɔ nya gobii aɖeke ɖe eŋu o. Eya ta mekplɔe vɛ na mi katã, vevietɔ wò Fia Agripa, be nàbia gbee, eye to esia me makpɔ nane aŋlɔ tso eŋu.
Respecting whom I have nothing determinate to write to my sovereign. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa, that on a fresh examination taken, I might have something to write.
27 Elabena susu mele eme be woaɖo gamenɔla aɖe ɖe Kaisaro be wòadrɔ̃ ʋɔnue le esime wometɔ asi nutsotso aɖeke dzi tso eŋu o.”
For it appears to me highly unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also signify the charges against him.
